'We didn't ask for zero, but not four in one week': Netizens slam Jeffrey Siow's response to rail disruptions as 'excuses'
Many said they did not expect the trains to be "perfect" all the time, but noted the frequency of recent breakdowns was hard to ignore.
Netizens have labelled Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow's response to the recent string of rail disruptions as "excuses".
Across social media platforms, including a Reddit thread and The Straits Times Facebook page, many questioned Mr Siow's explanations and called for more accountability.
Responding to parliamentary questions on Sept 22, Mr Siow addressed concerns over rail reliability, acknowledging public frustration with the recent string of MRT service disruptions.
In September alone, at least six separate incidents were reported across multiple lines.
The disruptions, which occurred between Sept 1 and 17, affected the Circle Line, North-South Line, Thomson-East Coast Line, East-West Line, and Punggol LRT, with each incident lasting between 25 minutes and five and a half hours.
MRT system one of the 'most reliable' in the world despite recent disruptions
In addition to launching a rail reliability task force, Mr Siow said the authorities "can do better" by providing commuters with more precise information on alternative routes and expected delays during incidents.
But the Acting Minister told the House that many of these disruptions were "isolated cases" and not systemic.
He stressed that Singapore's transport system remains "one of the best in the world". Nevertheless, with an expanding rail network, it is not possible to have "zero disruptions".
'We didn't ask for zero, but not four in one week'
A Reddit thread seemed to summarise the prevailing sentiment: "Honestly sian listening to the excuses for train breakdowns already."
Many said they did not expect the trains to be "perfect" all the time, but noted the frequency of recent breakdowns was hard to ignore. "We didn't ask for zero disruptions, but certainly not four in one week," a user wrote.
Another commented that people are "tired of hearing the same excuses".
Some on Facebook criticised Mr Siow for "deflecting" responsibility for the frequent breakdowns and accused him of "gaslighting" commuters.
Netizens create 'MRT breakdown bingo' card
In a humorous twist, some netizens have created a bingo card to track the MRT breakdowns, delays, and other incidents that occurred in September.
Some 13 out of 25 boxes have been crossed out since it was posted about a week ago.
Additional reporting by Alicia Chua